What's going on at HolyOak Whips?

There are two ways that most people use to plait whips. Some people use a vice and some use a hook.

Vices are popular because you it is easy to get the seams really strait.... at first. If you pull with the same tension one each side the whip will be strait. If you pull harder on one side the whip will twist. If the whip was built on a vice the twist may not be apparent at first and only show up after it has been broken in.

Hooks, on the other hand, seem unforgiving when it comes to twists. If you pull harder on one side while using a hook the twist will show up almost immediately. I like that actually. It allows me to correct or redo if need be. Pretty much, after it is rolled, what you see is what you get. The whip isn't going to change when it gets broken in.

It is really a matter of personal preference.

I'm a member of a whip making group and a gentleman was saying how he has no room for a vice and didn't want to hang a hook in his walls.

Ever since I got my Rhett Kelley whipmaking DVD I have used the door as my hook. I'm so glad he put that bit of info in there! It allows me to stay in the room with my daughter and be available to her needs.

I took these pictures to better explain the idea. I thought it would be a good thing to keep here on the blog just in case I need to share with someone else.

First you want to double over a piece of paracord with the core still inside. Doubled over it will be about 2 1/2 feet. tie a knot at the end and one about halfway down. Attach apiece of smaller cord to the end of that to make it easier to attach to the whip.

I start my whips with a flat start and attach the little cord over the top of the paracord.This has the added bonus of not allowing the cord to slip down the spike as you pull.

Make sure it is good and tight!

Toss the first knot over the top of the door and then close the door all the way shut. This should be secure enough to work from. At some point you will have plaited down far enough that you will want to move the other knot over the door to raise the whip up a little.

"One small crack does not mean that you are broken, It means you were put to the test and didn't fall apart."

This website itself and ALL content, including Photographs are copyrighted.All of the images on this website are copyrighted by Bobbi HolyOak, Jos Motterstead, Daniel Trout and Jennifer Trout and are protected by international copyright law. You may not use or reproduce them in any way without my written permission.

Whips are a lot of fun but they are not toys. Make sure to always wear safety gear and practice well away from other people and animals. Never hit anyone with your whip. Bobbi HolyOak and HolyOak whips are not responsible for any injury to person or property incurred by the use/miss use of our whips. Have fun, be smart, be safe and keep on cracking!